US2005219867A1PendingUtilityA1

Thermal distribution system for voltage regulator

31
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Mar 30, 2004Filed: Mar 30, 2004Published: Oct 6, 2005
Est. expiryMar 30, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Mai LocJohn DickersonPeter T. Li
H02M 3/1584
31
PatentIndex Score
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Claims

Abstract

A system may include a voltage regulator converter, the voltage regulator converter comprising N (N>1) phases, and a voltage regulator controller coupled to the voltage regulator converter and to control the voltage regulator converter to generate a first current within a first one of the N phases and to generate a second current within a second one of the N phases, wherein the first current is different from the second current.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a voltage regulator converter, the voltage regulator converter comprising N (N>1) phases; and    a voltage regulator controller coupled to the voltage regulator converter and to control the voltage regulator converter to generate a first current within a first one of the N phases and to generate a second current within a second one of the N phases,    wherein the first current is different from the second current.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 N feedback circuits, each of the N feedback circuits coupled to the voltage regulator controller and to one of the N phases, wherein one or more electrical elements of one of the N feedback circuits exhibits an electrical value that is different from an electrical value exhibited by a corresponding one or more electrical elements of another one of the N feedback circuits.    
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the one or more electrical elements of the one of the N feedback circuits comprises a first resistor, wherein the one or more electrical elements of the another one of the N feedback circuits comprises a second resistor, and wherein a resistance value associated with the first resistor is different from a resistance value associated with the second resistor.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the first resistor and the second resistor comprise current-sensing resistors.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 N feedback circuits, each of the N feedback circuits coupled to the voltage regulator controller and to one of the N phases,    wherein the voltage regulator controller is to sense a first sensed current value from a first of the N feedback circuits coupled to the first one of the N phases in response to the first current,    wherein the voltage regulator controller is to sense a second sensed current value from a second of the N feedback circuits coupled to the second one of the N phases in response to the second current, and    wherein the first sensed current value and the second sensed current value are substantially identical.    
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein the first of the N feedback circuits comprises a first current sensing resistor,    wherein the second of the N feedback circuits comprises a second current sensing resistor, and    wherein a resistance value associated with the first current sensing resistor is different from a resistance value associated with the second current sensing resistor.    
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the first one of the N phases is located in a more thermally-sensitive area than the second one of the N phases, and wherein the first current is less than the second current.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first current is output by the first one of the N phases, and wherein the second current is output by the second one of the N phases.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first one of the N phases is located in a more thermally-sensitive area than the second one of the N phases, and wherein the first current is less than the second current.  
   
   
       10 . A method comprising: 
 sensing a first current from a first feedback circuit coupled to a first phase of a voltage regulator converter;    sensing a second current from a second feedback circuit coupled to a second phase of the voltage regulator converter; and    controlling the voltage regulator converter to generate a third current within the first phase and to generate a fourth current within the second phase,    wherein the first current is substantially identical to the second current, and    wherein the third current is different from the fourth current.    
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein sensing the first current comprises: 
 sensing the first current from a first current sensing resistor of the first feedback circuit, and    wherein sensing the second current comprises:    sensing the second current from a second current sensing resistor of the second feedback circuit.    
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11 , 
 wherein a resistance value associated with the first current sensing resistor is different from a resistance value associated with the second current sensing resistor.    
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the first phase is located in a more thermally-sensitive area than the second phase, and wherein the third current is less than the fourth current.  
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the first current is output by the first phase, and wherein the second current is output by the second phase.  
   
   
       15 . A system comprising: 
 a microprocessor;    a double data rate memory coupled to the microprocessor; and    a voltage regulator to provide a voltage to the microprocessor, the voltage regulator comprising: 
 a voltage regulator converter, the voltage regulator converter comprising N (N>1) phases; and  
 a voltage regulator controller coupled to the voltage regulator converter and to control the voltage regulator converter to generate a first current within a first one of the N phases and to generate a second current within a second one of the N phases,  
   wherein the first current is different from the second current.    
   
   
       16 . A system according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 N feedback circuits, each of the N feedback circuits coupled to the voltage regulator controller and to one of the N phases, wherein one or more electrical elements of one of the N feedback circuits exhibits an electrical value that is different from an electrical value exhibited by a corresponding one or more electrical elements of another one of the N feedback circuits.    
   
   
       17 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein the one or more electrical elements of the one of the N feedback circuits comprises a first resistor, wherein the one or more electrical elements of the another one of the N feedback circuits comprises a second resistor, and wherein a resistance value associated with the first resistor is different from a resistance value associated with the second resistor.  
   
   
       18 . A system according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 N feedback circuits, each of the N feedback circuits coupled to the voltage regulator controller and to one of the N phases,    wherein the voltage regulator controller is to sense a first sensed current value from a first of the N feedback circuits coupled to the first one of the N phases in response to the first current,    wherein the voltage regulator controller is to sense a second sensed current value from a second of the N feedback circuits coupled to the second one of the N phases in response to the second current, and    wherein the first sensed current value and the second sensed current value are substantially identical.    
   
   
       19 . A system according to  claim 18 , 
 wherein the first of the N feedback circuits comprises a first current sensing resistor,    wherein the second of the N feedback circuits comprises a second current sensing resistor, and    wherein a resistance value associated with the first current sensing resistor is different from a resistance value associated with the second current sensing resistor.    
   
   
       20 . A system according to  claim 15 , wherein the first current is output by the first one of the N phases, and wherein the second current is output by the second one of the N phases.  
   
   
       21 . A system according to  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 a motherboard coupled to the microprocessor and to the voltage regulator,    wherein the first one of the N phases is located in a more thermally-sensitive area of the motherboard than the second one of the N phases, and wherein the first current is less than the second current.

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